Star Crusades by Michael Thomas (best ereader for pc txt) 📕

weaponry. Other ships ofthe line will provide fire support as we move closer.”

She paused, and thenlicked her upper lip before saying more.It was only a short break, but Captain Regina knew that it wassomehow going to affect her.

“IAB forces will hold over EkatiAlpha and await the arrival of the infantry. I am transferring thefleet carrier Izumo to support your operations, and General Riversis transferring his flag there at this very moment. He will commandthe ground phase of the battle.”

“Fleet carrierIzumo?” Captain Regina said, “TheStarcarrier?”

First Lieutenant Meredith nodded.

“She’s already changing her ident code as the command ship for amphibiousoperations.”

Captain Regina grabbed the intercom immediately, even as more gunfirerippled back between the two fleets.

“Admiral, this is Captain Reginaof the Nautilus. Ekati Alpha is secure,and our forces are already on the surface. We’re ready to assistyou in…”

“I needyou at the planet, Captain,” came back the stark reply, “Leave meand the fleet to deal with alien vessels. That is what I am herefor, and why the dreadnoughts have left Allianceterritory.”

There was a short pause, and then shefinished.

“Your job is to ready that planetfor the arrival of our ground forces. The IAB is an assaultformation, not a battle fleet. I have promised General Rivers thatthere will be landing grounds ready for entire battalions ofmarines.”

Captain Regina hesitated, and then nodded to herself.

“Understood, Admiral. Standingdown.”

She looked across to her crew andtried to hide her disappointment. Theenemy fleet was vast, and though a terrifying foe, she also wantedto see her crew and her ship show the others what they could do.They had trained for so long for this, and now they were being castaside, to do little more than circle around a lifeless rock whileothers did the fighting. Then came a voice that sounded almost asdisappointed as her.

“General Gun,”she said quietly as his imageappeared.

“You heard the Admiral.IAB forces will assemble at the designatedwaypoint. Let us use our ordnance as best we can to support ourpeople below.”

The ship began to turn away, and as they did so, Captain Reginawatched the massed Alliance forces heading into battle with theSki’lig fleet. It was an impressive force, made more so with thetwo battlecruisers and pair of dreadnoughts. She could happily havewatched the battle and done nothing else, but she knew she had workstill to do.

“Admiral Hurik?”First Lieutenant Meredith said, “I thought she’donly just been given command of a dreadnought.”

“I suspect Command didn’t want the Navy outranked by General Rivers forthis operation. She has worked her way to the top fast. Veryfast.”

She shook her head as the view ofthe planet shifted before her. The battle with the enemy fleetmoved away, and now she was left with thediamond planet and its host of hidden enemy soldiers. TheStarcarrier arced away from the battle fleet that was alreadyheavily engaged and made its way towards the planet. At its flankswas a pair of Liberty Class destroyers, as well as a squadron offighters that continued flying in a widely dispersed figure ofeight around the small force.

“Okay,then,” said the Captain, “What can we do to help?”

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

The Trench, Ekati Alpha, The Ski’ligTerritories

Valentine moved slowly as theytravelled through the last few narrowtunnels. It was only wide enough for four Novas to stand side byside, though much taller. Like the cavern, it was constructed ofthe same diamond rock and glistened from the light of theirexternal lamps. There were openings at various heights, some nearlysix metres above their position, and all but impossible to reachwithout a thruster pack.

“This place…it’s incredible,”said Hawkins, “And thispassage.”

“Cutwith mining lasers, I’d guess,” said Alexis, “And our scans showhalf of what’s left of this planet is filled with tunnels andunderground structures. The Skils must have been mining this worldfor decades, maybe centuries.”

“Contact!” Tsarkov shouted.

Valentine lifted her arms, withher shield out in front, and her right arm resting in the slot cutinto the side. Her machine pistol was atthe ready just as the enemy came for them. A long shaft came pasther and struck Hawkins so hard he was thrown onto his back. Kalliasdropped down next to his friend and struggled to remove the weaponas more of them charged into battle.

“Fire!”

Valentine wanted to help Hawkins, but she could barely see who theywere as the shapes charged through the darkness. Then came thegunfire, and as the light lit up the passage, she could make outtheir large size and dark features. They appeared humanoid, thoughlacked the wings of the Ski’ligs. They moved quickly, and the firstvolleys of fire from the Novas had only a modest effect on them.Two fell, but the last of them managed to reach within two metresof Alexis before it was cut down by sustained fire.

“Cease fire!”

The gunfire slowed andstopped, although smoke still waftedabout through the interior. They continued forward and towards thebrighter light in the distance. As they moved on by, Valentineslowed, bending down to examine one of the fallen. It had taken somany injuries in the attack, but somehow had managed to keeppushing forward.

“Sarge. We need to report this back.Who are these people?”

He hesitated, and then used hisarmoured foot to half roll one of themover. It was the size of a large man, perhaps hitting two metres inheight, though much bulkier. It was covered in thick hair, almostlike fur, and its face had a respirator device with straps runningover and around its head to a mounting place at therear.

“It’s like a half-man,half-bear,” he said in surprise while stepping past the half adozen bodies that littered the place.

“And armed.” Hawkinstossed back a weapon.

The Sergeant caught it and held it outin front of him.

“More spears? What is this, thedark ages?”

“No,” said Alexis,“Look.”

She pointed to the hands of thecreature, and to metal bracelets on each of its wrists. One showedsigns of damage, and on the other the remains of a chain.

“They were manacled,” saidSergeant Jablonsky, “These must beprisoners.”

“Or slaves,” saidValentine, “And now they’re throwing themat us to slow us down.”

“Let’s get down there. The soonerwe have those landing fields under ourcontrol the better.”

Valentine felt guilty as they passed the bloodied bodies. Theywere a species they had never seen before, and until a minute agohad